Improving literacy and problem-solving skills (News and Research 284)

Improving literacy and problem-solving skills: How Kyrgyz Republic works to build skilled workforce | Dingyong Hou | The Kyrgyz Republic’s transition since independence in 1991 has not been easy. The small central Asian country is a budding democracy that seeks a trajectory of more sustainable growth that is less dependent on remittances, natural resources, and a large informal economy. Nearly a quarter of the population lives below the international poverty line of $3.20 per capita per day, and many more live just above it. In addition, job creation is slow, and lags the pace of population growth. In supporting the Kyrgyz Republic’s effort to tackle its challenges and to build evidence for better understanding of the links between education, skills acquisition, and the labor market, the World Bank conducted a survey of adult skills in late 2019. The focus was on literacy, numeracy, and problem-solving. 

Education & fragility, conflict, and violence: how to keep children safe and learning | Jaime Saavedra, Keiko Miwa, Peter Holland | Today’s news is dominated by the latest wave of refugees fleeing violent and horrifying conflict. As with previous waves of displaced people the world over, the 2.5 million (and counting) Ukrainian refugees consist disproportionately of women and children,  whose lives have been dramatically upended. In addition to the trauma they are living today, the shock of this war will be felt tomorrow and beyond, as many will never fully recover from having their educational pathway so disrupted.

Learning loss during Covid-19 | With Covid-19, researchers are beginning to become concerned with the impact that this has had on student learning progress. Harry Patrinos aims to consolidate available data reported in the literature.

The World Bank Croatia Towards Sustainable, Equitable and Efficient Education Project is now ratified by government.

Skilled Migration: A Sign of Europe’s Divide or Integration? examines the trends, determinants, and impacts of migration of high-skilled workers within the European Union in the past two decades. High-skilled migration, whether internal or international, is largely a symptom rather than a cause of the gaps in labor market and educational opportunities, productivity, welfare, and the quality of institutions across the regions. Free movement within the European Union is an incentive for workers and firms to take advantage of these gaps by moving from low- to high-productivity sectors and regions. This process, however, results in winners and losers depending on the extent of the complementarity and substitutability between migrants and natives and on the capacity of the sending regions to realize benefits from return or circular migration and other knowledge spillovers. This study assesses the economic benefits and the costs of skilled migration in the short and long runs, emphasizing the potential implications of a large outflow of highly qualified workers on the economies of the originating regions. This book uses empirical analysis to present recommendations for labor market and education policies and identify effective ways to address the various costs that migration induces among different skill groups within regions that send migrants and those that receive migrants.

Ukraine

‘Kyiv Calling:’ Ukrainian punk band makes The Clash classic an anti-Russia anthem

A Ukrainian punk band has released an anti-war spin on The Clash’s hitsong “London Calling,” with the blessing of the English band itself. The cover, which describes Ukrainian resistance to the Russian invasion, is called “Kyiv Calling” and calls for global support for Ukraine. “Kyiv calling to the whole world / Come out of neutrality, you boys and girls,” sings the band, known as Beton. “Cause Kyiv is rising,” the lyrics continue. “We live by resistance.” The lyrics also allude to Russia’s powerful use of propaganda to tell its own citizens a warped narrative about the invasion: “And you know what Moscow said? Well, none of it was true.” The title of the original song references World War II. The BBC World Service would use “This is London calling” in its broadcasts during the war. Its lyrics reference the political instability in Britain and across the world at the time of its 1979 release.

In Ukraine, the educational process is resumed

UNESCO’s Global Education Coalition responds to Ukrainian call for support

Online Education Stands with Ukraine

UNICEF, Ukraine Ministry of Education launch an online kindergarten project NUMO

EU Council of Ministers decides to redistribute part of funds to support displaced children

Tracking Social Protection Responses in Ukraine and Neighboring Countries

Ukrainian children to join Georgian schools in simplified procedure